Woohoo! MBP and our partners like MOS are delighted to announce the kickoff of the Turkey Point and Dans Rock Bird Counts.
Our amazing counters will once again document fall migration each day from August 1st through November 30th. The data we collect is invaluable, an important window into eastern U.S. migration that becomes more valuable with each passing year of data. The data is shared in near real-time via Trektellen (embedded on the MBP web site), daily in eBird, and seasonally in the peer-reviewed journal Maryland Birdlife.
Please welcome new lead counters Josh Ward (Dans Rock) and Levi Parker (Turkey Point). They'll be supported by primary alternates Ben McGrew and Aaron Reb. Many others will lend support, including nearly all of our previous counters, who are all passionate about documenting bird migration and about 2024 being another big success. We'll also be in close communication with our collaborators at Cape May, New Jersey.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Turkey Point is closed to public access until further notice due to ongoing construction. We spent most of the year expecting an inevitable gap year in the Turkey Point data, but received a last-minute approval to proceed, which is awesome. We'll keep you posted on any updates.
DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Aaron Reb is covering the first days at Dans Rock and had GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, an early SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and a PURPLE MARTIN (rare in Allegany Co.). Levi Parker had a strong showing of early migrants!
We'll have the 2024 MBP pages live soon. Near real-time updates via Trektellen are already flowing:
Dans Rock
https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/3411/20240801
Turkey Point
https://www.trektellen.org/count/view/3157/20240801
You can see our previous season reports linked here on the MBP bibliography:
https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/bibliography.php#bird_counts.
Any support is truly appreciated as we continue to reach for greater impact! Please consider a donation and spread the word about these counts!
https://marylandbiodiversity.com/donate
📸: (c) Carl Engstrom - Sunrise at the Dans Rock Bird Count, Allegancy Co., Maryland.
Bill